Erin Wasson on How Acting is Like a 'Full-On Internal Bitch-Slapping'

Last night, VS. Magazine hosted the launch of a new fashion-themed video at the Soho Grand with Erin Wasson, who stars in the short film. Directed by 25-year-old advertising industry alum Jenna Elizabeth, the video--called "The Heimlich Maneuver"-- shows Wasson administering CPR to a fellow model who chokes on a piece of Georg Jensen silver jewelry. (Watch it here--creepy.) “There’s something about saying ‘I can afford to eat this’ that is funny," Elizabeth explained of the concept. "I like the sense of humor in literally having your stomach pumped for jewelry.”

Last night, VS. Magazine hosted the launch of a new fashion-themed video at the Soho Grand with Erin Wasson, who stars in the short film. Directed by 25-year-old advertising industry alum Jenna Elizabeth, the video--called "The Heimlich Maneuver"-- shows Wasson administering CPR to a fellow model who chokes on a piece of Georg Jensen silver jewelry. (Watch it here--creepy.) “There’s something about saying ‘I can afford to eat this’ that is funny," Elizabeth explained of the concept. "I like the sense of humor in literally having your stomach pumped for jewelry.”

A ton of models attended the party (Helena Christensen, Ali Michael, etc.), as well as one unexpected guest from the cast of Girls. Alex Karpovsky, who plays the irritatingly lovable character, Ray, was there too (you know, the one who just took Shoshanna’s V-card). And though Karpovsky wouldn’t get into too much detail about his own appreciation for cute tops and pants with "slim legs" (insert now-infamous awkward gesture here), he was excited to be in attendance. “I’m always eager and excited to meet cool people and I think this is a cool project,” he told us. “I’m expecting to see some original, innovative, and fresh expression.”

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But the evening’s real star was Wasson, whose feature-film debut in Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter opened in theaters last Friday. We sat down with Wasson to discuss what it’s like to become an actress and if she’s discovered any special methodologies to improve her newfound craft.

Fashionista: So first things first, how did this whole short video concept come about?
Erin Wasson: Vs. approached me—they were the first ones to get excited about the movie I had done. They had this really great concept, and I looked up Jenna’s work and she was so young and so talented, that I had to do it. I think she captured something really awesome considering that [the film is] fashion driven.

Cool, so how did you even get into acting in the first place?
Acting chose me! I am a creative person, and I look forward to all conduits of creativity in my life. I learned a lot about myself in the process—it was kind of like occupational therapy.

What kind of things did you figure out about yourself?
I mean it's all very personal stuff, full-on internal kind of bitch-slapping moments that you have with yourself. Just being a part of that process for three months; It’s not the actual acting it’s the whole process.

So are you pleased with how Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter turned out?
Yeah, it’s a fucking bitchin’ movie.

PARIS--It makes perfect sense that French boutique Zadig & Voltaire recently opened their fourth location in New York (on 409 Bleecker). Their bad ass not-trying-too-hard French girl aesthetic is a perfect fit for the city.
So Zadig & Voltaire has enlisted NYC scenesters Erin Wasson (who is also the face of their current campaign) and Gaia Repossi to design capsule collections for the brand, and both ladies were on hand this week at Zadig & Voltaire's flagship store in Paris this week to discuss their collections. I sat down with Wasson to ask her about her forthcoming capsule collection for the brand (it will be out in October), and what it was like to be a judge on America's Next Top Model and work with Alexander Wang again. (Repossi, unfortunately had to run before I had a chance to talk with her because she brought her exotic kitten to the store and it got finicky and she had to take it home. Really, this happened. You can take a look at her lovely creations for the store below.)
Fashionista: Why partner with Zadig & Voltaire?
Erin Wasson: I'm really excited to work with Zadig & Voltaire because I feel like we have a parallel aesthetic. I remember going into my first design meeting and the culmination of my inspiration pictures and their inspiration pictures--a lot of what gets our rocks off is very similar. We're both into the days of old, that rock n' roll spirit. Working for them is easy--for me it just makes sense.
You've designed before with RCVA and currently design your own jewelry collection, Low Luv. How will this be different?
To tell you truth I'm not trying to do anything different. I'm not trying to come out with a capsule that's going to blow anyone's mind and change the world of fashion. What I'm trying to do is just make clothes that are easy and that have an edge. It's like designing that piece of clothing that you've gone to 15 thrift stores looking for that you could never find--I'm trying to design that one piece.